Ukraine has extended the ban on Russian registered operators until November 10th, 2016. In an operational notice issued by each of the countries Flight Information Regions on August 9th, Ukraine has extended the closure of it’s airspace to Russian airlines and commercial operators.

The original ban was issued in November 2015, when  Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk declared during a cabinet meeting that “Russian airlines and Russian aircraft are not entitled to use Ukrainian airspace anymore”

The ban is in response to a similar edict by the Russian State authorities, banning Ukrainian flights from operating to and through Russian airspace.

Hong Kong capacity problems 06JUL During this year, the Hong Kong CAA has issued a couple of warnings to operators to stick carefully to their allocated slots, but it’s not making much of a difference to operations there. Read the article.

Iceland: The fun continues 06JUL Last week there were some really positive indications that the ATC strike in Iceland was coming to an end, but it’s now worse than ever, with Westbound, Eastbound, and landing traffic all affected. Read the article.

HECC/Cairo FIR A restriction exists for traffic to and from the Amman FIR, so if overflying Jordan and then Egypt, or vice versa, you can only use the waypoint METSA.

OMAE/Emirates FIR has some updated peak times. Departures need a slot between 0630-0730Z and 1700-0000Z. Arrivals will be spaced 5 mins apart during these times also, as will aircraft entering the OMAE FIR from nearby airports like Muscat, Isa, and Baghdad.

EIDW/Dublin Runway 10/28 is closed overnight until 09JUL.

OERK/Riyadh, Saudi Arabia will be hosting the ‘Global Ministerial Aviation Summit’ 29AUG-31AUG. 55 different ministers from various countries are expected to be in attendance. Be aware of potential restrictions leading up to and after the event.

CYFB/Iqaluit Another NAT alternate favourite, CYFB has some runway closures throughout July.

EGCC/Manchester is doing some work on 05L/23R overnight until 08JUL and has advised operators to carry some extra gas due possibility of holding.

LOWW/Vienna has published a helpful list of rush hour periods – worth avoiding these times as holding is common at VIE. The times are: 0530-0750, 0920-1030, 1140-1240, 1340-1500, 1615-1800, and 1840-1940Z.

BIZZ/Iceland Despite optimistic reports of a resolution to the ATC dispute in Iceland last week, the situation remains unresolved. Last night BIRD Oceanic was closed to most Eastbound traffic once again, as was BIKF. A new addition to restrictions is a closure to many Westbound flights on Wednesday 06JUL – “DUE TO STAFF SHORTAGE IN REYKJAVIK OACC WESTBOUND TFC PLANNING TO ENTER BIRD FROM ENSV VIA GUNPA,VALDI, IPTON, INGAL, ISVIG AND EGPX VIA LIRKI, GONUT, OLKER, MATIK AND RATSU AND THEN PROCEEDING INTO EGGX OR CZQX SHALL REMAIN SOUTH OF BIRD CTA” Read the article.

EDYY/Maastricht ATC have requested crews operating through the Maastricht UIR to log on to CPDLC EDYY, if you have datalink. While voice remains the primary comms method, you might get an uplink message if the frequency is busy – it’s not a test, you should confirm – most of these uplinks are likely to be frequency changes.

EPZZ/Poland has advised operators to check carefully whether permission is required in advance of operations at airports other than EPWW/Warsaw. Many countries including Poland have reinstated Border Controls within the Schengen zone. Best advice is to treat each country as having full Border Controls for the moment (so think Passport, GenDec, etc.)

SPIM/Lima FIR (Note that the airport is now SPJC, distinct from the FIR code) is shutting down airway UG427 after 21JUL.

SUEO/Montevideo ACC (Uruguay) has some comms issues in it’s airspace, and has advised of some extreme spacing between aircraft irrespective of FL – 40nm. For now, this ends today (06JUL) but may happen again.

WSZZ/Singapore Qualifying citizens of Singapore are now eligible to apply for US Global Entry membership – and benefit from expedited entry to the United States at designated airports. Similarly, qualified U.S. citizens are eligible for enrolment in Singapore’s enhanced-Immigration Automated Clearance System (eIACS).

ZMUB/Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia is downgraded to RFF Cat 7 until 10JUL. Also, from 12-16JUL, you can’t file this as an alternate which may limit your options somewhat.

LFPG/Paris due to maintenance on the ILS for Runway 08L/26R from 18JUL to 02OCT. The only approaches that will be available will be RNAV based procedures (LNAV/VNAV, LPV, LNAV) and VOR/DME.

GQNN/Nouakchott, Mauritania has moved to a new international airport this June. Located approximately 10nm north of the city, it has an annual passenger capacity of 2 million. Infrastructure from the capital’s old airport was transported to the new one.

SECU/Cuenca Following the landing incident on 28APR of an E190, all inbound flights will be reportedly be held if the runway is wet – until end of August.

LFMH/St Etiennee Fuel outage on 07JUL, 0800-1100 UTC.

Canada/Mexico From 01DEC2016, Mexican nationals will be able to travel to Canada without a visa for business and tourism for up to 90 days.

Turkey/Russia Russia has lifted the travel restrictions on tourists between the two countries. The ban was put in place following the downing of a Russian military aircraft last year.

Bangladesh Germany, Australia and the U.K. have banned direct cargo flights from Bangladesh due to security concerns.

Israel/China The Israeli parliament has ratified a multiple-entry visa agreement with China, under which Chinese business visitors and tourists can enter Israel multiple times with the same ten-year visa and vice versa.

EZZZ/Europe the European Union updated Air Safety list (aka the Airline Blacklist) on 17JUN, and lifted a ban on Zambian air carriers.

Uganda Introduction of ‘e-visa’ system. You must show a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate on arrival.

ZJSA/Sanya FIR, China has an ADS-B trial up and running on L642 and M771. Radar is still the primary separation tool, but ATC ask that you check your Flight ID matches your FPL.

View the full International Bulletin 06JUL2016

MHTG ‘Interesting Approaches’ to end 06APR MHTG/Tegucigalpa Dangerous approaches at MHTG will be consigned to history, as a new airport was finally confirmed at the weekend by the Honduran government. Read the full article.

Greeks or Italians? ATC strikes this week 06APR There will be an ATC strike this week in Europe, maybe by Greece, maybe by Italy, maybe by both. These strikes are often cancelled shortly before starting, but at this pre-planning stage, it seems likely to go ahead. Read the full article.

EBBR/Brussels has now reopened but operations are still very restricted. The airport is not expected to be fully operational until June or July by current estimates. The airport authority has instituted new security measures that include a requirement for passengers to arrive 3 hours prior to their departure time. The terminal is still closed to busses and trains. Slots must still be requested from the Brussels Airport Authority if you intend to operate in or out of EBBR.

ZKPY/Pyongyang FIR Many reports that North Korea is jamming GPS signals, also reported by South Korea RKRR NOTAM A0450/16. Signals have been reported as unreliable or lost when operating in or near to North Korean airspace. Exercise caution if you rely on GPS in those areas. Read our DPRK Overflight Risk article from a few weeks ago.

LIZZ/Italy Eurocontrol has confirmed an Italian ATC strike is set for April 9th. NOTAMS A2062/16A2 and A2063/16A2 have been issued covering the proposed strike.

MHTG/Tegucigalpa Dangerous approaches at MHTG will be consigned to history, as a new airport was finally confirmed at the weekend by the Honduran government. Full article here.

LFXX/France an Operational Trial of CPDLC Services in French Airspace of Reims (LFEE), Paris (LFFF) and Marseille (LFMM) ACC will be in effect from 05APR to 11APR.

EZZZ/Europe The U.S. State Department along with numerous other countries have issued a Europe wide travel warning in response to the attack in Brussels. While extra vigilance should be exercised it is also a very generic response to a threat that has yet to be fully understood from a commercial aviation perspective. If you would like to be kept up to date on specific travel alerts from the U.S. State Department you can sign up through their STEP program.

EHAM/Amsterdam reports of near misses with drones have recently been reported by crews. The location of the near misses was on the approach path but no specific runway was mentioned.

KEWR/Newark The FAA will be increasing the number of available slots to EWR, available at the end of October. The change is in response to the improved efficiency of the airport and the ability to increase the ATC arrival rate.

FAA/United States has issued Advisory Circular 00-30C. It describes the various types of CAT (Clear Air Turbulence) along with avoidance techniques and possible future forecast systems for helping Dispatchers and Pilots in the planning stages.

KZZZ/USA Check your passport! Effective 01APR16, if you’re travelling to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, you will also need to have a valid e-Passport along with your ESTA.

CZVR/Vancouver ACC will begin to use ADS-C on 18APR In their Oceanic sectors, for both alerting service (SAR) and improved ATC separation purposes.

UDDD/Yerevan FIR Due to Air Defence activity ATC route segments with Yerevan FIR
Crossing FIR boundary points MATAL, ELSIV, PEMAN and VETEN between Yerevan FIR and Baku FIR are not available.

UBBA/Baku FIR Entry/Exit points VETEN, PEMAN, ELSIV, MATAL are closed.
Baku FIR Entry/Exit points BARAD, DISKA closed from GND to FL305. NOTAMS A0030/16 and A0032/16 have been issued as well.

UHSS/Yuzhno will be closed daily 10APR-14MAY between the hours of 12-21Z.

OMZZ/United Arab Emirates will begin charging a $9.50 USD Passenger Tax effective 30JUN, to be imposed on all travellers over the age of 2 through all airports including those only transiting the UAE. A driving factor in this new charge appears to be low oil prices affecting the Gulf States.

UUZZ/Russia has stated that aviation authorities are intensifying its ramp inspections of all aircraft (especially foreign aircraft, we guess) in the wake of the Rostov accident.

FZZZ/Nigeria The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has stated that steps are currently being taken to end the countries fuel shortage, but may take upwards of 2 months. We suggest to check with local handlers for the availability aviation fuel supply until the issue is resolved.

VNKT/Kathmandu We have received some reports that VNKT ATC weather reports are inaccurate, especially regarding visibility. Any feedback please let us know.

VIAR/Amritsar has suspended all night operations for 1 year due to the planned reconstruction of the airports runways.

View the full International Bulletin for 06APR2016

Pavlof Eruption wreaking havoc 30MAR16 Volcano Pavlof erupted on Sunday and is currently on aviation colour code ‘RED’. It has caused havoc for North Pacific, Alaskan and Northern Canadian operations. The latest predictions have the ash upwards of FL400 and extending over Northern Alaska and Canada. You can find the latest information through the Alaskan VAAC.

Brussels Airport remains closed 30MAR16 EBBR is still closed with the possibility of opening later this week. Currently all commercial flights are still prohibited from operating into EBBR. Only ferry, emergency, SAR, State, general aviation and cargo flights are authorized with a slot that can be coordinated through the Belgium Slot Coordination website.

EZZZ/Europe The U.S. State Department along with numerous other countries have issued a Europe wide travel warning in response to the attack in Brussels. While extra vigilance should be exercised it is also a very generic response to a threat that has yet to fully understood from a commercial aviation perspective. If you would like to be kept up to date on specific travel alerts from the U.S. State Department you can sign up through their STEP program.

FAA/United States there have been 583 reported hazards from Aug 22/2015-Jan 31/2015 between aircraft and Drones. None of these incidents have caused any collisions or damage but extra vigilance must be exercised until the FAA can regulate the use of these drones in the terminal areas.

RPHI/Manila has issued an advisory for aircraft operating in the vicinity of the Bulusan Volcano and the Kanlaon Volcano due to an alert level 1 of activity. Flights operating in the vicinity are advised to avoid flying close to the summit.

LFXX/France a general strike has been declared for March 31st. Possible impact to airline operations. Please make sure you check with Eurocontrol or FIR NOTAMs for further restrictions.

FXXX/Nigeria The NNPC or Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has stated that steps are currently being taken to end the countries fuel shortage but may take upwards up 2 months. Please check with local handlers for the availability aviation fuel supply until the issue is resolved.

LXXX/Turkey has issued a nationwide terror alert and the Israeli Counter-Terrorism Bureau has advised for all of it’s citizens to leave the country. Extra vigilance should be exercised if operating to and from Turkey for the foreseeable future.

UXXX/Russia has stated that aviation authorities are intensifying it’s inspections of aircraft from Russian and International budget carriers in wake of the Rostov-on-Don accident.

DGAC/Ghana FIR issued NOTAM A0128/16 due to VHF freq 130.9 being not reliable for all Oceanic traffic entering ACCRA FIR from the South East due to maintenance. All traffic must contact ACCRA on HF 8903KHZ or logon to ADS-C/CPDC “DGAC” until positive VHF contact is established.

VNKT/Katmandu There have been a few reports that the Tower at VNKT has been reporting erroneous weather to pilots. One example of such a report  was “Tower informed us that there was some 3 km of visibility this morning but it to be less than 1.5 km while Kathmandu was engulfed by haze”. If you encounter any issues while operating into VNKT please send us a note to bulletins@fsbureau.org.

VIAR/Amritsar has suspended all night operations for 1 year due to the planned reconstruction of the airports runways.

VTBD/Bangkok Officials approved an expansion that will allow for more aircraft, passengers and vehicle parking. The plan also includes provisions to cut landing fees during off-peak hours at VTBD and VTBS in an effort to increase usage of both airports. The project includes plans to extend the runway, add office buildings, and create additional parking zones for aircraft. The expansion is expected to be completed in 2025.

Angola The Ministry of Health in Angola has reported an ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in Luanda Province. The government of Angola requires all travelers older than 9 months to show proof of yellow fever vaccination on arrival. The CDC has a ‘Watch Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions’ advisory in place.

FAA/United States has issued Advisory Circular 00-30C. It describes the various types of CAT (Clear Air Turbulence) along with avoidance techniques and possible future forecast systems for helping Dispatchers and Pilots in the planning stages for proactive flight planning.

View the full International Bulletin for 30MAR2016

Austria might have the worlds most perfect little piece of airspace. Wien (Vienna) FIR matches the countries’ political boundaries perfectly. There is no ocean, no disputed boundaries, and no delegation of ATC.

For most others, it’s not as straightforward. For some, it’s beyond complex.

So how do countries determine what their airspace looks like? Airspace overhead the actual landmass belongs without question to the country, so that’s easy.

Then, from the shoreline out to 12nm are the Territorial Waters, as agreed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982 – giving us “Territorial Waters Airspace”.

The next chunk is the 12nm-200nm area – the Exclusive Economic Zone. In aviation, this sometimes has an effect on whether prior permission in the form of an Overflight Permit is required – Peru and Ecuador have in the past claimed this requirement. Beyond this, International Waters exist.

In aviation, the term of reference has become High Seas Airspace, and is taken to refer to anything outside the 12nm buffer where no country has sovereign jurisdiction over airspace. By international agreement, chunks of airspace are assigned to individual countries to provide an ATC service, because we prefer to have ATC watching us and providing separation, in comparison to trying to do it ourselves using 126.9 and TCAS.

As has been recently the case over the Black Sea, that agreement isn’t always unanimous, and ICAO sometimes has to tread a difficult political line in assigning their preferred responsibility – last month Ukraine opened up routes in “High Seas Airspace” that Russia also wanted to have a crack at managing.

The Baltic Sea has long been a generator of news stories of close encounters with the Bear (Tu-95), this is because of the multitude of small chunks of High Seas Airspace that allow flights out of Russia towards the UK and Europe. ICAO is concerned at the rising incidences of conflict between civil traffic (that’s us) and military flights over the Baltic.

These military flights operate under Due Regard – but often don’t file flight plans and ATC know nothing about them until they are pretty close to you. You’re unlikely to see them on TCAS either. So, that regard is not so high.

We’ll continue the next time with a look at “No FIR Airspace” – those chunks of High Seas airspace where nobody is in control, mysteriously marked “XXX” on our charts.

March 16th will see the official opening of UUBW/Moscow Ramenskoye to civilian flights, after a long history of serving as an experimental design base for both military and civil aircraft, with most Russian OKB’s having a base on the airfield.

The main runway 12/30 is 5,402 metres, making it the second longest runway in the world, second only to ZUBD/Qamdo Bamda in Tibet (that one is 5500m).

Ramenskoye will be the fourth International Civil airport in Moscow, and will provide an additional alternative to Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo.  It is also known as Zhukovsky, and hosts the MAKS Airshow every two years.

The data: ICAO: UUBW, IATA: ZIA, Runway Length: 5402m, Elevation: 404ft, Operator: Ramport.

Mexico Volcano Eruption 29JAN Popocatepetl Volcano, which is 55 kilometres southeast of Mexico City, had its last major eruption in 2000; it erupted on Tuesday this week affecting flight operations at MMPB/Puebla, and with the risk of further eruptions affecting operations in Mexico City itself.

Atlantic MNPS is over… introducing HLA 29JAN Effective next week, 04FEB, there are another round of changes on the North Atlantic – HLA/High Level Airspace is the replacement for MNPS, and the airspace is extended with Bodø joining Shanwick, Gander, Reykjavik, New York, and Santa Maria. Read our International Ops Notice 01/2016.

North Atlantic Effective 04FEB MNPS Airspace is replaced by HLA/High Level Airspace on the North Atlantic – extended with Bodø joining Shanwick, Gander, Reykjavik, New York, and Santa Maria. RNP4 or RNP10 now required. Read our International Ops Notice 01/2016 
or our blog post: Did you know MNPS is over?

TTxx/Trinidad and Tobago The annual Carnival in Port of Spain will take place on February 8 and 9, 2016. Travel and tourism activities are expected to continue for up to two weeks after the celebration and will be busiest during weekends. February 10, 2016 (Ash Wednesday) is expected to be the busiest day of the year at the Port of Spain airport. February 8 to 9, 2016 is also expected to be a congested time for departures.

KSFO/Super Bowl 50 The FAA will not be imposing a slot-based special traffic management program for the game on 08FEB, but ramp reservations, made through specific FBOs, will be required for all arrivals and departures from 04-08FEB. The rule will apply to all airports in the region, including San Francisco International, Oakland International, Hayward Executive, Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, Livermore Municipal, Buchanan Field, Napa County, Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County, Monterey Regional, Watsonville Municipal and Salinas Municipal. NBAA has set up a Super Bowl 50 information page that includes links to the FAA arrival/departure routes.

Uxxx/Tajikistan The U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issued updated travel advice for Tajikistan that reads as follows: “In early September 2015, armed clashes involving security forces resulted in a number of deaths close to Dushanbe International Airport and in the Romit Valley not far from Dushanbe. While tensions have eased, security remains heightened. You should continue to take extra care, monitor the local media and check this advice regularly.”

KFZZ/Falcon Field, Arizona In January and February, Runways 4R/22L and 4L/22R at Falcon Field Airport (FFZ) in Mesa, AZ will be closed non-concurrently for the taxiway ALPHA realignment construction project. These are hard closures with no potential for runway recall. Runway 4L/22R had closed Jan. 12, at 6 a.m. (1300Z) and will remain closed until Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. Runway 4R/22L is expected to close Monday, Feb. 1, at 6 a.m. (1300Z) and remain closed until Sunday, Feb. 15.

Kxxx/United States A few weeks ago we reported on new FAA FDC NOTAMs that eliminate the need to obtain a TSA Waiver for domestic flights in the US. on 17JAN The FAA has corrected an error in these (in simple terms, they forgot to include some previously issued exceptions), and so there are 3 brand new NOTAMS effective – these are 6/4255, 6/4256 and 6/4260. Got some time?Read the original NOTAMs in full.

Mxxx/Mexico The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens about the risk of traveling to certain places in Mexico due to threats to safety and security posed by organized criminal groups in the country. U.S. citizens have been the victims of violent crimes, such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery by organized criminal groups in various Mexican states. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning for Mexico, issued May 5, 2015

EISN/Shannon FIR Due to a number of flights deviating from clearances prior to exiting Shanwick OCA, flight crews are reminded that Eastbound route clearances issued by Shannon Control for aircraft exiting Oceanic Airspace apply from AGORI, SUNOT, BILTO, PIKIL, ETARI, RESNO, VENER, DOGAL, NEBIN, MALOT, TOBOR, LIMRI, ADARA, DINIM, RODEL, SOMAX, KOGAD, BEDRA, OMOKO, TAMEL AND LASNO. Flights shall not turn before these points.

Uxxx/Russia The Russian Institute of Volcanology has issued a code orange alert after Russia’s Zhupanovsky volcano began erupting earlier this week, sending clouds of ash and gas to 27,000 ft. A code orange advises pilots to avoid flying near the ash cloud, reportedly moving over the North Pacific Ocean driven by prevailing easterly winds.

UIII/Irkutsk has issued NOTAM A0134/16 closing RWY 12/30 weekly on Tuesdays from 1210-1450Z beginning Feb 02 and ending March 22. UIII is not available as an alternate during those times.

UHSS/Yuzhno is closed daily between 0330-0500Z due to preventative maintenance. No end date has been issued.

RPHI/Manila FIR has begun Phase 1-b of an ADS/CPDLC trail. The specific details of the plan can be found here.

Wxxx/Indonesia  As of 19JAN, Mount Egon has been erupting on Flores Island, which is located east of Bali Island. Egon emitted large amounts of ash and noxious gas. As of yet, the eruption has not caused any flight delays or cancellations; however, previous volcanic eruptions in the lesser Sunda Islands have caused extended delays in Denpasar and Mataram.

Zxxx/China Talks with the Zhuhai municipal government, Chinese government, Zhuhai Airport Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority China (CAAC) resulted in temporary International China Inspection and Quarantine (CIQ) services at Zhuhai Airport for non-scheduled business aviation movements. Following the approval late last month, China’s National Port Administration Office opened a temporary customs port on January 1. The approval is renewable on a six-month basis. During the “approval period” from January 1 to June 30, crewmembers of foreign business aviation flights can enter and exit China via the temporary business aviation port at Zhuhai Airport.
View the full International Bulletin 27JAN2016

Kanlaon Volcano Eruption 28DEC The Kanlaon Volcano in the Philippines erupted on 27DEC, with an initial ASHTAM issued up to FL260. Extreme caution advised for airways B472, B473, and W7. You can get the latest updates through the Tokyo VAAC.

Updated Colombia Permit requirements 22DEC For Non-Commercial aircraft, ie. Ferry flights, General Aviation – authorisation is required only if stopping in Colombia longer than 48 hours, or operating to more than 1 Colombian Airport. Updated list of document requirements in AIP Supp 22/15 issued 22DEC.

New Years closures. Check opening times carefully during the next week, as many major airports and FBO’s have closures, especially on 31DEC/01JAN.

Kxxx/USA Scattered thunderstorms, some of which will be strong to severe, will move east across Kentucky, Tennessee, eastern Mississippi, Alabama, western Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. Heavy rain will once again trigger flash flooding over portions of the South. Airports in the risk area include KATL/Atlanta, KBNA/Nashville, KMEM/Memphis, KCHA/Chattanooga, KBHM/Birmingham, KMOB/Mobile and KLEX/Lexington.

FYWH/Windhoek, Namibia has new opening hours from 23DEC, 0700-2000LT Daily.

HSSS/Khartoum, Sudan has no Jet A1 available to Ad-hoc operations between 27DEC and 05JAN. Carry return fuel or choose another tech stop.

MUFH/Havana FIR, Cuba Airspace restrictions in place 23DEC-31DEC due to staff shortages, airways UB760 and UL210 are northbound only, and between 1400-0100Z daily, all aircraft will be spaced 25nm apart through the Havana FIR, regardless of altitude.

OAKB/Kabul, Afghanistan a car bomb detonated near Kabul International Airport at approximately 0800 local time (0330 UTC) today.Taliban militants took responsibility for the attack.

UIBB/Bratsk continues to have fuel supply issues, fuel limitation extended to 12JAN

LSZH/Zurich has parking issues for Private flights, the Airport Company will generally only accept 6 hours ground time. Extended stays will require a reposition to another airport, limitation until 06JAN.

Space Weather/Polar Ops 55% risk of R1-R2 Minor to Moderate Radio Blackout risk predicted through Dec 30th. For the most up to date information please see the NOAA Space Weather Dashboard for Aviation.

LTFJ/Istanbul A Kurdish militant group has claimed responsibility for an attack at Istanbul’s second airport that killed 1 person, and threatened more assaults.

FAA/North Atlantic Aircraft operators crossing the North Atlantic have been required to include the aircraft registration and six-character hexadecimal code that is the aircraft’s address in Item 18 of their ICAO flight plans. However, an FAA review of flight plans filed during a one week period revealed that many operators were not meeting this requirement. Therefore, the agency has issued Information for Operators (InFO) 15015, which emphasizes the importance of providing the required information in the proper format.

Vxxx/India Signaling a major shift in granting air traffic rights, the government is looking at restricting the number of landing points for overseas airlines irrespective of their seat entitlements.A senior Civil Aviation Ministry official said it was looking at restricting the ports of call given to foreign airlines under bilateral rights, while remaining flexible on seat entitlements.

VAJB/Jabalpur The Aviation regulator DGCA has suspended the license of Jabalpur airport following an incident early this month, in which a herd of wild boars marched onto the runway during the taxiing of a commercial aircraft. Following suspension of its license, no flight operations can take place from Jabalpur airport, sources said adding that the AAI has been told to remove deficiencies including proper fencing of the operational area.

RKxx/South Korea South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare has formally declared an end to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) health threat on December 23. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, its decision follows World Health Organization. MERS was first confirmed in South Korea on 20MAY, and the last fatality from MERS-related complications in the country occurred on 25NOV.

02NOV2015 HECC/Cairo has requested that traffic through PASOS point on the boundary with LCCC/Nicosia FIR be rerouted, effectively closing airway UL550 and the Sinai peninsula. Shown on radar image above, most traffic is avoiding the area that an A321 crashed in on Saturday. No definite link is being made but Authorities and Operators are naturally cautious.

02NOV2015 Conditions perfect for fog across the UK and western Europe are causing widespread delays this morning. Unusually, almost all airports from EGCC/Manchester to EDDF/Frankfurt are affected by the same conditions, with many airports down to 100 metres vis. Most not accepting diversions. See below for further.

EXXX/Europe High delays in most Airports in a square containing EGCC/Manchester, EBBR/Brussels, EDDF/Frankfurt, and EDDH/Hamburg. Total of approx 120,000 slot delay minutes in Eurocontrol system. Other high delay airports include EHAM, EGLL, EGKK, EGSS. Check NOTAMs as most are not accepting diversions either. Fog forecast to be similar again overnight.

VTBB/Bangkok FIR A minimum departure interval of 4-8 minutes between same direction departures is in force from 30OCT for aircraft departing VTCC VTCT VTUU VTUD VTSP VTSG VTSF VTSB VTSM AND VTSS. Delays during peak hours are expected.

UUBC/Grabtsevo New Russian Airport now fully operational with 2200m runway (12/30) and able to accommodate international traffic up to A320/737 size.

UHSS/Yuzhno Sakhalinsk, a common Polar alternate, is closed due runway repairs 1200-2100Z until 01DEC and therefore not available as ALTN for Flight Planning.

NTTA/Tahiti will be without radar on 03NOV after 1800Z. As with all radar outages there is potential for delays and restrictions.

KXXX/USA Runway current closures: BWI-RWY 10/28, SEA-RWY 16C/34C, LAS-RWY 7L-25R.

KSFO/San Francisco will close Taxiway Q and B on 07/08NOV to resolve a pavement issue. This will create a one-in-one-out restriction for aircraft taxiing to and from all gates west of Taxiway Q1. Specifically, this will affect United Airlines, SFOs largest customer, as a majority of its gates are west of Q1. Additionally, the proximity of the closure area to Taxiway B1 will render B1 unusable due to insufficient wing tip and jet blast clearance with the construction area. The loss of Taxiway B1 means that access to the end-around Taxiway Z will be unavailable.

HKXX/Kenya No longer possible to obtain a visa on arrival for passengers. Must now be arranged prior to arrival online at https://account.ecitizen.go.ke/register.

SOOO/Cayenne FIR, South Atlantic – Aircraft not FANS 1A equipped, east of 50W in the Cayenne FIR, can now expect a maximum level of FL310 westbound.

EXXX/Europe The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) is providing a new tool to calculate Passenger Taxes payable in EU countries. The “PaxTax” tool calculates the total passenger tax for the flight, and breaks down the cost for both departure and arrival for the respective national taxing authorities.

YBBN/Brisbane New $45m international terminal opened 28OCT after 18 months of construction. The facility can handle 7.5m pax annually.

VNxx/NEPAL Fuel supply update: China will supply fuel to Nepal for the first time ever, in response to a dire fuel shortage caused by disrupted supply lines with India. China will supply 1.3 million liters of gasoline, which will be transported to Kathmandu from the border via 100 tanker trucks. Please continue to check local NOTAMs for fuel availability.

DNxx/Nigeria FIR Widespread reports of a strike forcing the closure of Nigeria’s airspace have been deemed unreliable, per the Nigerian CAA. There is unrest and occasional industrial action, but no risk of airspace being closed.

Timezone Changes As DST ends in the Northern Hemisphere, series of clock changes completed on 01NOV as US ended Daylight Savings. Most of Europe completed theirs on 25OCT. Most northern countries are now on Standard Time.

View the complete International Operations Bulletin for 02NOV2015.

26OCT2015 In around two weeks time, significant changes will occur to the design and structure of North Atlantic Tracks (NAT OTS), which have existed in their current lateral structure since the OTS introduction in 1965. The key changes are: a reduction in separation to ‘half-track’ compared to the existing structure, introduction of 24 new Oceanic Entry Points (OEP’s), and a new requirement for RNP4. A special briefing on these changes is below.

26OCT2015 With effect from yesterday, almost all Ukrainian and Russian airlines are barred from each others airports and airspace. Ukraine issued a sanctions list in September barring all except one Russian airline from operating, and in return Russia banned the three Ukrainian airlines from operating to Russia. GA, Business Aviation, and non-scheduled flights are not affected.

EGPX/Scottish FIR High delays this morning 26OCT in Scottish airspace due to ATC radio system failure. EGPF/Edinburgh airport departures were suspended, now resumed, with enroute traffic rerouted to avoid Antrim, Galloway, Tay, and Talla sectors. Situation is slowly improving but potential for afternoon delays exists.

KORD/Chicago O’Hare There will be a TFR in effect for Oct 27 and Oct 28 due to VIP movement. Please see NOTAM 5/1931 for further details.

MMXX/Mexico The impact of Hurricane Patricia was less than feared. MMPR/Puerto Vallarta Airport, MMZH/Ixtapa, and MMZO/Manzanillo have all reopened and are operating normally.

KXXX/USA Current runway closures: BWI-RWY 10/28 CLOSED, IAD-RWY 01R/19L CLOSED, DTW-RWY 03R/21L 09L/27R CLOSED, SEA-RWY 16C/34C CLOSED

NAT/North Atlantic ASD15 Exercise Trident Juncture (At Sea Demonstration) military exercise until 31OCT. The designated firing areas incorporate elements of Scottish FIR/UIR, Shanwick and Reykjavik FIR as well as notified UK Danger areas. Flight planning restrictions will be applied affecting NAT Traffic on northerly routes, monitor NOTAMs.

South Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season 2015-16 begins on 01NOV. Tropical cyclone warnings in the South Pacific region, please consult the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Fiji’s regional meteorological center responsible for tropical cyclone warnings in the South Pacific region, or Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.

View the full International Ops Bulletin for 26OCT2015.